10+ Annual Strategic Plan Template – PDF, DOC

To know where you are going, you will need a map. If you need to get there faster, you would need to plan your route with the map. Same goes for an organization. To keep it afloat and to realize its mission and vision, the organization needs a sample plan.

A strategic plan is one of these plans that any organization needs. Strategic planning is an organization’s process of defining its strategy, or direction, and, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. The strategic plan will become the basis and the bible of the organization when it comes to creating the operational or implementation plan.

In a sense, the sample strategic plan or strategy for short will set the signpost for where the company is headed. Strategies are often crafted for a long-term, often for two to three years, however, there is merit in holding strategic plan meeting and having a strategic plan annually.

Multi-Annual Strategic Plan

Annual Strategic Planning Meeting Report

Holding an Annual Strategic Planning Session

Having an annual strategic plan ensures that the company’s plans are on track and still relevant. Holding an annual strategic planning session helps to review the strategic plan and make changes if they are needed. Thus it is important to have a strategic planning session or retreat. This retreat is usually done, but not necessarily, done off-site to avoid and shut out distractions and lasts for at least two days. In order to facilitate an annual strategic planning session the persons involved follow this process:

1. Begin with a Review of the Mission, Vision, and Values

The mission, vision, and value are the main force in a company’s identity. These statements are what defines the company. However, as the company evolves, these things may become outdated. There will come a time when the organization will need a new purpose, a new vision per se. One of the first things that the people involved in the planning session should do is to ensure that the mission, vision, and values of the organization are current and still relevant. You may also see free strategic plan templates.

2. Take a Stock of Your Situation

You cannot move ahead if you don’t know where you are. This may seem simple at first glance, but it is harder than it looks. Most people, and in a broader sense, organization see themselves how they want to see themselves. They often ignore or in some cases, not admit to their faults. It is important to assess long-term business assumptions and conduct a traditional SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to provide a current understanding of the marketplace and true capabilities of your organization.

3. Identify the Long-Term Objectives

If this is not the organization’s first strategic plan, chances are there are already long-term objectives set. In that case, a few modifications will be what is needed. You may also see strategic plan samples.

4. Set Short- Term Goals

Do this only if it is possible. Usually, the organizing team does not dwell on the details. That is a job for when it is time to make an operational plan. However, it is a good idea to assign a member who will flesh out how it will get accomplished

5. Compile all of the Work in a Final Document

This final document will contain all the work that resulted in this session. This document should be distributed to all the member so that they know what their responsibilities are and what they need to achieve. You may also see IT strategy plan templates.

One Page Strategic Plan Template

Annual Strategic Plan Sample

What to Include in Strategic Plan

Creating a strategic plan can be an arduous task. This could even be made more difficult if one does not have an idea of what to include in the document. To create an effective strategy one must make sure that the contents of the document will be comprehensive. Here are a few key items that should be included when creating a strategic plan. You may also see school strategic plan templates.

1. Executive Summary

Although it is listed here first, the executive summary it should be written last. The executive summary will hold the summary of all the sections of the strategic plan. Having an executive summary makes it easier for other constituents, such as employees, investors, and other team members to quickly understand the strategic plan. With quick understanding follows a quick support.

2. Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a succinct and persuasive speech that explains how your organization works or its purpose. It is so named because of its length which about the same length as an elevator ride. Including an elevator pitch in the plan is essential because it helps employees articulate the organization’s purpose and description to others. Without a proper definition, there will a higher number of missed chances and opportunities. You may also see strategic planning process templates.

3. Company Mission Statement

An organization’s mission statement is what defines its business, objectives, and approach to reach those objectives. It is easy to think that a mission statement is unimportant, that it is just added fluff. That thought is never more wrong. A mission statement becomes the employees’ guide in internal decision making. As a member of the organization, the employee will naturally decide for the good of the company and without a mission statement, one can not expect him to do the right decisions. Furthermore, the mission statement can inspire outside parties to align themselves with the organization and work with it.

4. SWOT Analysis

An analysis of the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats can tell its current situation. A SWOT analysis can help determine which decisions to pursue the best growths of the organization. It can also identify the weaknesses that the organization needs to work on in order for it to improve.

Sample Strategic Business Plan

Service Company Strategic Plan Sample

Though strategic plans are mapped out for a longer period of time, it is still important to have it reviewed annually for it to remain relevant. Without a relevant strategic plan, an organization might lose its competitive edge and nobody wants that. You may also see a strategic plan samples.

Framework for Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning For Beginners

5. Goals

Behind every plan is a goal for its inception. It is important to specify the goal that the plan is made for as to give constituents an idea of why they are doing the things that they are doing. Setting and achieving goals is what makes an organization successful. The goals set can build up from five year or long-term goals and identify what goals to achieve in a year to work on this long-term goal and so on. A strategic plan can be updated regularly as goals are accomplished to modify this section. You may also see sample strategic planning.

6. Key Performances Indicators (KPI)

Key Performance Indicators are metrics designed to help the organization monitor its performance. These indicators can range from financial metrics, customer metrics, and people metrics. KPIs are indispensable tools to identify business performance. You may also see church strategic plans.

7. Target Customers

Knowing which customers to target in the strategic plan is essential to ensure its success. Having a target can fine tune the approach an organization takes towards implementing the plan. Knowing the target make it easier to create a direct communication with customers. You may also see non-profit strategic plan templates.

8. Industry Analysis

Akin to taking a stock of the organization’s position, it is also important to take a stock of the organization’s industry. However, this analysis does not need to be in depth. Knowing the situation of the industry and where it is headed can help create strategies that are ahead of the curve. Furthermore, it also helps if the industry is a sinking ship and if the organization needs to steer clear and find a new destination. You may also see strategic life plan templates.

9. Competitive Analysis and Advantage

Let’s face it, we live in a competitive world. Thus, it is important to have an analysis of key competitors to remain competitive in any industry. Having information on their strengths and weaknesses will help keep the organization relevant in its industry. It is also important to keep track of one’s own competitive advantages to make use of them properly and see what are needed to create more advantages. You may also see marketing strategy templates.

10. Marketing Plan

Just as it is important to have a strategy, it is also important for an organization to plan on how to market itself. A good marketing plan includes how to attract prospects and then convert them into customers that can lead the organization to grow.

11. Team

A plan is useless without a team to implement them. A strategic plan should indicate in it the people who would be responsible to ensure that the plan’s goals are met. Including the team in the strategic plan can also help determine if there is enough manpower to execute the plan or if hiring newcomers will be needed. You may also see sample strategic action plan templates.

12. Operational Plan

An operational plan will detail how the goals set in the strategic plan could be achieved. Having a detailed operational plan will ensure that these goals will also be met. The operational or implementation plan should map out priorities, day to day activities, assignment to ensure the strategy becomes a success.

13. Financial Projections

Financial projections can estimate the potential results for each goal you would want to pursue. Furthermore, it can help map out the objectives needed to pursue this goal. A financial projection can help determine how many items should be sold to reach a monthly quota.